Detailed Attestation

What is a detailed attestation

The detailed attestation is a civil status document, in the form of a letter, that only concerns birth. It deals with the information contained in the copy of the attestation of birth and the nature of the changes made to an act of birth, if any.

It is possible to apply for a detailed attestation for:

  • the information contained in the copy of the attestation of birth only;
  • the nature of the changes made to an act of birth only;
  • the information contained in the copy of the attestation of birth AND the nature of the changes made to an act of birth.
  • Important

    Do not confuse Detailed Attestation and the Attestation which are two different civil status documents that do not meet the same need.

    Information contained in the attestation of birth

    The attestation of birth contains the following information:

  • Place of birth;
  • Information about the mother or parent who gave birth;
  • Medical certification of the birth: date, time, the sex designation, name and qualification of the birth attendant, their licence number and date of signature.
  • Note

    The legal recognition of the attestation of birth was introduced in the Civil Code in 1994. It was also at this time that the Directeur de l'état civil became the only civil registrar in Québec. Prior to that date, there was no requirement to report information about the birth of a child to the civil registry by means of an attestation of birth. As a result, the Directeur de l'état civil does not have all the records for births prior to 1994, and the records it does have may be incomplete.

    Changes that can be made to an act of birth

    Here are some examples of possible changes:

  • A change to first and last names;
  • A change to the sex designation;
  • A change in relation to a tardy declaration of filiation.
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    Who can apply for a detailed attestation?

    To apply for a detailed attestation, you must be the person concerned by the act of birth or their legal representative.

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    How do I obtain a detailed attestation?

    To apply for a detailed attestation, you must complete the Detailed Attestation form.

    We can provide either a normal or accelerated processing of your application for a detailed attestation. The Fees and processing times vary depending on the type of processing you choose.

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    Date de révision : 2022-12-14


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